POLL: Would you pay for a Windows 12 subscription?

Edwin · Oct 7, 2023

TraderGary said:
I'm often surprised by the number of folks on a forum dedicated to Microsoft Windows who apparently don't like Microsoft and don't like Windows.

No loyalty on my part..., I just use Windows cuz it's what I have, it's what I'm familiar with.
I do find many of MS's tactics, as of late, questionable, though.
And, I don't care for some of the changes made to Windows. But, that's me, your mileage may vary.

Scramjet · Oct 7, 2023

pparks1 said:
Microsoft didn't say that. A Microsoft employee said it. Microsoft never confirmed the statement, but people ran with it as truth.

That comment was actually made by Jerry Nixon, a Microsoft developer evangelist who spoke at the company’s ”Tiles, Notifications, and Action Center” presentation about Windows 10 at Microsoft’s Microsoft Ignite conference in 2015.

Software isn't perfect, it never has been and it will continue to not be. What is the difference between Windows 7, then 8, then 10, and now 11. There are differences. New design choices, new places to find things, new features, out with some of the old and and in with some of the new.

I was just giving my opinion on my answer. Well if MS didn't say it. they led everybody to believe it was true by not correcting the statement. In regards to each different version, yes some run smoother and work better. I am not saying that. I am saying that a lot of the bugs should have been fixed before release. The broken ones that people talked about for the first while after release. Changing where you find things in Windows is not liked by a lot of people. One example that comes to mind is the start icon. I would almost bet that most Windows 11 users have moved the start icon to the left. lol
I could research if I had time to post all the reasons why I don't want to pay for Windows but not going to happen.

cheers

Kees · Oct 7, 2023

Edwin said:
No loyalty on my part..., I just use Windows cuz it's what I have, it's what I'm familiar with.
I do find many of MS's tactics, as of late, questionable, though.
And, I don't care for some of the changes made to Windows. But, that's me, your mileage may vary.

That's exactly how I stand to Windows and to Microsoft.

Once upon a time, Windows was great with overall adjustable UI, like charactersize of menu's, titlebars and so on.
Nowadays you need tweaks for that, if it functions at all. Why for instance has the titlebar of the new File Explorer such small characters and why are they not sizeable (except sizing the whole screen, that MS does not recommend). Don't they know that there are older people using Windows as well?

When I install Windows 10 or 11, first thing I do is a whole series of tweaks to make the UI acceptable for me and my partner.
Takes me quite a lot of time to do...
That was hardly necessary in Windows XP and 7!

I don't hate Microsoft, but I don't like them either!
I use MS-Windows because I am used to it from the beginning (have worked with MS-DOS PC's as well).
About 40 years of experience...

Edwin · Oct 7, 2023

The slmgr.ini file in Canary Builds points toward a subscription model of some sort, e.g. certain services such as Copilot, yet, some users are experiencing ads in Copilot, based on certain queries!

BunnyJ · Oct 7, 2023

Ghot said:
It's one of them thar love/hate relationships.

Bingo.

SlicEnDicE · Oct 7, 2023

neves said:
Linux (Linux is actually a flavor of Unix)

NO, just NO!

Though Linux inherits a lot of design choices from 70s and 80s UNIX, it is NOT UNIX, not even close. You can however call it UNIX-Like, because of the similarities with UNIX.

Winuser · Oct 7, 2023

Wynona said:
What a novel concept, @Winuser!

I have noticed on my two desktops that are running the Canary builds MS is starting to put in ads. I don't know if my other computers have ads or not. I'd rather pay a reasonable price to upgrade to a new Windows version every 4 or 5 years than be bombarded with ads. That's one of the reasons I watch very little over the air TV. Seems like they are now interrupting the commercials with a TV show break.

Scannerman · Oct 7, 2023

Great idea on the poll. I believe I posted a very similar question in the Windows 12 forum that was met with a great deal of opposition. It's good to see so many here supportive of Linux. I would likely subscribe to a reasonable monthly subscription fee, or even a life time subscription fee for Windows if it were under $1K Canadian, transferable, and good for a minimum of 5 devices. Of course, I would want it to include Word as I'm a bit of an author (and no, I will not reveal my pen name) because I frequently use special characters that only Word/Office can handle.

Wynona · Oct 7, 2023

Scramjet said:
I was just giving my opinion on my answer. Well if MS didn't say it. they led everybody to believe it was true by not correcting the statement. In regards to each different version, yes some run smoother and work better. I am not saying that. I am saying that a lot of the bugs should have been fixed before release. The broken ones that people talked about for the first while after release. Changing where you find things in Windows is not liked by a lot of people. One example that comes to mind is the start icon. I would almost bet that most Windows 11 users have moved the start icon to the left. lol
I could research if I had time to post all the reasons why I don't want to pay for Windows but not going to happen.

cheers

I'm pretty sure Microsoft has tried to correct the Windows 10 statement, to no avail. People are people, and once some get an idea in their head, it's almost impossible to change it. Don't believe me? Let me introduce you to my daughter . . .

Yeppers, I immediately moved my Start button to the left. And if I could, I'd get rid of that monstrosity that appears in the middle (now left) of my opening screen!

We once had multiple ways to customize how we wanted Windows to look; now Microsoft has taken most of them away. I do not like that! I still want to move my icons to the top of my screen, but Mommy Microsoft says I don't need it. Bull Pooky!

Improvements are not always needed or wanted . . . or even an improvement!

Catnip · Oct 7, 2023

I am in a bit of a quandary over this. On one hand I hate the idea of a subscription model, but on the other hand, I have a lot invested in Windows software and games that I would lose if I ditched Windows. I have a Linux machine already that I use for programming the Linux devices I use for work, but I also have to write Windows apps to interface with said devices. Sadly, I don't think work would pay a subscription for me as I could "do the work in the office". It's much more relaxing and productive if I can do some of the work at home. Less distractions.

I already have a sub for Office 365, and I know I have already paid more for that than a copy of Office 2021, but hey... Subscriptions are where it's at these days, right?

Josey Wales · Oct 7, 2023

TraderGary said:
I'm often surprised by the number of folks on a forum dedicated to Microsoft Windows who apparently don't like Microsoft and don't like Windows.

It is kind of hard to like a Company that can't be trusted. Maybe you should ask yourself why Windows provides a path to Linux?

WXC · Oct 7, 2023

“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”.”

― John Lydgate

~~~~

I only hope if this subscription idea is implemented, that @Edwin, has to pay dbl..

Wynona · Oct 7, 2023

WXC said:
“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”.”
― John Lydgate

~~~~

I only hope if this subscription idea is implemented, that @Edwin, has to pay dbl..

Meany!

WXC · Oct 7, 2023

Wynona said:
Meany!

~~~

Hi Wynona.

I hope thing are going as well as can be for you. Keep up the good fight. :wink:

Wynona · Oct 7, 2023

WXC said:
~~~

Hi Wynona.

I hope thing are going as well as can be for you. Keep up the good fight.

So far, so good. If my white blood cells will cooperate, I should finish maintenance chemo on December 11.

I had a treatment this past Monday, so I'm on the upswing toward a good week. C'mon WBCs! Do yer job!

Edwin · Oct 7, 2023

Catnip said:
Subscriptions are where it's at these days, right?

Yup! Make more money, more often, recurring, and way faster! Guaranteed income!

OldNavy · Oct 7, 2023

If this were to eventuate i'd either stay on win 11 or lower my principles and wait for a cracked version.
Microsoft have had plenty of money over the years from me.

Edwin · Oct 7, 2023

First and foremost, MS may obviously be considering this to make way more money...,
it could also be an effort to deter piracy...

Wouldn't it be a bummer if it was an app based, Runtime thing where Windows wouldn't even work if your internet went down!?!?!?

cereberus · Oct 7, 2023

Poll is missing the most obvious selection.

Remain on older version of Windows.

kelper · Oct 7, 2023

Edwin said:
Wouldn't it be a bummer if it was an app based, Runtime thing where Windows wouldn't even work if your internet went down!?!?!?

With no internet, I wouldn't be using any of my computers. They are only used for browsing, email and chat. I would happily use a cloud based service if it was cheap.